Our News, Your News
By Eric Abrahamsen, June 30, '25
As summer approaches, it’s the perfect time to slow down, breathe deeply, and dive into compelling translations of Chinese literature. This edition is packed with reading to match every pace and preference—from new publications and free-to-read gems to critical reviews, insightful essays and poetry, as well as media that will enrich your understanding of contemporary and historical voices in Chinese writing.
We’re especially excited to recommend another brilliant newsletter: Cold Window, by translator Andrew Rule. His recent issue, "Thirteen Ways of Looking at Chinese Internet Literature," offers an introduction to the vast, dynamic world of serialized fiction online—a genre often overlooked in English-language spaces. If you’re curious about genres beyond conventional novels, this is a must read.
Thanks for reading, and for supporting the voices that keep Chinese literature alive in translation. We hope this issue brings some inspiration, discovery, and delight to your summer days.
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By Eric Abrahamsen, June 6, '25
WU QI: Over the past ten years, we at One-way Street Journal have worked closely with Paper Republic, translating and publishing the short stories and essays of a number of young Chinese writers, helping them to find more opportunities in both the Chinese- and English-speaking worlds. At the moment, this ‘opening up’ process has come to a temporary halt: the situation in China and the world has changed drastically, with repercussions, of course, in the literary world. It is against this background that I was interviewed by Granta and attempted to describe the changes I have seen. To my surprise, I realised that no changes are purely external; for those of us involved, the internal changes we perceive – the sayable and the unsayable – are completely different from what they were ten years ago, and that every person, every choice, every gesture needs to be examined in a completely new way.
Granta Interviews Wu Qi
Born in the city of Lengshuijiang in Hunan Province in 1986, Wu Qi is one of the leading literary figures of his generation. He has worked as a journalist at Southern People Weekly and Across, and as the translator of James Baldwin. He currently works at One-Way Space (Danxiang Kongjian 单向空间), an independent bookstore in Beijing, where he serves as the chief editor of One-Way Street Journal (Dandu 单读) and as a board member of the One-Way Street Foundation. The journal specializes in cultivating avant-garde literature as well as the new worker writing in China. Its title is an homage to Walter Benjamin’s 1928 essay. In 2022, Wu Qi published a book-length conversation, Self as Method, with the anthropologist Xiang Biao, which probed contemporary Chinese subjectivity and literary expression. A second volume, translated by David Ownby, will appear next year.
Among Wu Qi’s talents, his skill at interviewing is widely recognized by his peers. Instead of asking Wu to interview someone for this issue, Granta decided to interview the interviewer.
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By Andrew Rule, May 13, '25
Welcome back to the Cold Window Newsletter! In this issue: a first foray into the world of Chinese internet literature, kicking off a column that will be running through several issues of this newsletter throughout 2025; and short fiction from the margins of southern China.
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By Nicky Harman, May 8, '25
Tuesday 13th May 2025. University of Warwick. See poster for details and registration. Hybrid event
By Nicky Harman, May 8, '25
Helen Wing's Elixir podcast has an interview with Nicky Harman about Han Dong's poems. Han Dong reads the original and Nicky Harman reads the translations. Click here
Maddalena Poli explores the new series from Oxford University Press, Hsu-Tang Library of Classical Chinese Literature.
-By Maddalena Poli, LARB, 27 April 2025
Translator Jennifer Feeley works to retain the distinctive character and tone of the Chinese authors she interprets.
-Jennifer Wong, The HongKonger, 21 April 2025
By Nicky Harman, April 29, '25
Jack Hargreaves writes his regular column, Translated Chinese Literature: Short Fiction
"Short stories are all the rage in China, but get short shrift in the West. We picked five recent translated collections, from riveting horror tales to irreverent queer fiction....."
By Andrew Rule, April 8, '25
Welcome back to the Cold Window Newsletter! In this issue: the Beijing literary collective introducing dozens of Chinese writers to the world, and two novelists from Liaoning you should know.
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By Emily Jones, March 30, '25
Welcome to the Paper Republic March 2025 newsletter.
In this issue, we tell you about a new regular feature on the Paper Republic website; we have coverage of some special recent events; and we list a selection of free-to-read translations available online. Plus, there’s a shoutout to some prize-winning translators, and a link to a list of all the major prizes in China and their winners. Enjoy!
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Contemporary Chinese novels in translation since 1978 : literary voices from the periphery, by Yun Wu (Routledge, 2024) Open Access.
Summary:"This book seeks to complement the traditional scope of translation studies, which has primarily centered on translating English into other languages. It presents a comprehensive analysis of the opposite translation trajectory-moving from Chinese literature to the core English literary domain. The book aims to explore the ideological and sociological dynamics that underlie the translation of contemporary Chinese novels. This is achieved through an examination of the translation selection process, translation paratexts, and the roles of translation agents. Case studies are employed to illustrate specific linguistic, literary, and cultural challenges within translation. It dissects the cultural and literary implications of translating genres such as women's writing, Chinese science fiction, and Internet literature. The argument presented is that the translation of peripheral literature is indispensable in shaping global literature. Beyond its literary implications, the book identifies the political significance inherent in such reverse translation endeavors. It suggests that the translation of Chinese literature holds notable political interest for the Chinese government, which aims to reshape China's image and bolster the nation's soft power through literary translation. This work will be an essential read to students and scholars of translation studies, comparative literature, and Chinese studies"-- Provided by publisher
China and the Spy Novel - Mai Jia talks to Angus Phillips
Oxford Literary Festival China Lecture:
Weston Lecture Theatre, Thursday, 3 April 2025, 6:00 pm
"Multi-million selling Chinese spy novelist Mai Jia talks about his books and their screen adaptations."
By Andrew Rule, March 9, '25
Welcome to the first issue of the Cold Window Newsletter to be published on Paper Republic! This is the (extra-long) first installment of a new monthly collaboration that will be appearing in the Paper Republic feed each month. Read on for an introduction to the newsletter; a round-up of 2024’s most acclaimed Chinese short fiction; and profiles of two of China’s best literary suspense novelists.
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By Emily Jones, February 5, '25
As we usher in the Year of the Snake, this vibrant and meaningful occasion is the perfect time to celebrate the richness of Chinese culture—and what better way than through the lens of its literature?
This issue brings you a feast of publications and media showcasing the brilliance of Chinese writing in translation. From fresh releases to interviews with translators and other news, we’re thrilled to spotlight stories and voices that resonate with the spirit of this festive season. Whether you’re an avid reader or simply curious about Chinese literature, there’s plenty to explore. So, grab a cup of tea, settle in, and let’s dive into the world of Chinese storytelling together!
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